SFC: Don-Ash make two from two

Donaghmore-Ashbourne posted their second win from as many starts in the SFC at Simonstown on Friday when proving too good for Blackhall Gaels.

Don/Ashbourne ....... 1-16
Blackhall Gaels ........ 0-11

The outcome was never in doubt though Blackhall Gaels enjoyed good spells in both halves that were unable to prevent their second loss of the campaign.

Gabriel Brannigan's men laid the foundations for this win in opening 30 minutes when they outscored Blackhall by 1-10 to 0-4. Thereafter, the Batterstown-Kilcloon outfit eclipsed Donaghmore-Ashbourne by 0-7 to 0-6.

Top scorer Darragh McGovern opened his account from a free inside the opening minute. He quickly doubled it. Team mates Paul Gilligan (free) and Dylan Brady soon got on the scoresheet and the trend was set.

Coming up to the three-quarter mark Donaghmore-Ashbourne were 11 points, 1-15 to 0-7, to the good. With the contest over, Blackhall Gaels - who lost to Dunboyne first time out - posted four of the last five scores.

In registering that quartet, Sean Whelan doubled his tally. That sequence included his sole score from play. He was also wide with another free before Darragh McGovern closed the scoring.

Darragh McGovern was Donaghmore-Ashbourne's top scorer with 1-4. Six of his team mates were also on the scoresheet with Leo Reilly registering five points from play.

Paul Gilligan's trusty left-foot landed a brace of points from frees.

Blackhall Gaels outpointed Donaghmore-Ashbourne by 0-4 to 0-1 between the seventh and 21st minutes. Whelan apart, Andy Brady and Dermot Carty added to the tally to trim the deficit to two points, 0-6 to 0-4.

Donaghmore-Ashbourne reasserted themselves in the run-in to the break, posting 1-4 without reply,. Darragh McGovern's 25th minute goal was a highlight and owed a lot to the efforts of Sean Curran and Stephen Carton.

A point from the latter was also noteworthy with Leo Reilly and Darragh McGovern contributing to the build-up. Around this time a Jack Giles intervention to break up a 'Gaels' attack was a standout moment.

Two more Leo Reilly points within three minutes of resumption further emphasised Donaghmore-Ashbourne's superiority. As Blackhall struggled to add to their interval tally, a Dylan Brady effort left a dozen points, 1-13 to 0-4, between the sides by the 35th minute.

From their to the end, Blackhall Gaels outscored Donaghmore-Ashbourne by 0-7 to 0-3, with all bar one of their scores coming from Whelan. Paddy Brady posted the other.